Shoutout to the guy who brought a binder of FOIA requests to a debate on the Georgia Guidestones

He had actual documents, while the other side just had YouTube videos. Which kind of evidence actually changes minds in these arguments?

3 comments

3 Comments

fiona9852mo ago

Seriously? A binder of FOIA requests. That's a whole new level of debate prep. But honestly, most people at those things have their minds made up already. A YouTube video or a stack of papers, it doesn't matter. They just pick the one that fits what they already believe.

lily702mo ago

You're right, @fiona985, people do show up with their minds set. I've seen it at town halls. The trick is to use those papers to sway the quiet folks in the back who are still listening. Bring three clear copies of a single, strong FOIA page. Hand them directly to people who look unsure, not the loud ones. It gives them something solid to hold and read, which can cut through all the yelling.

matthewmartin2mo ago

Yeah the "quiet folks in the back" thing lily70 said is spot on. I did exactly that at a school board meeting last year over the budget stuff. Printed a simple one page summary of where the money actually went, not just a rant. Saw a couple people in the back actually reading it and nodding, and one guy ended up asking a real question based on it. The loud ones just want to fight, but giving something simple to the people who are just watching can actually change the room.